Bead chain



C. P. KUEHNER.

BEAD CHAIN. APPLICATION ms!) MAR. 12. 1921.

1,406,4 3, Patented Feb.'14,'1 922.

8M9. ntoz 61 Not-nu,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE.

CHARLES F. K'UEHNER, OF JTIORTI-I PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BEAD CHAIN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. KnnHNnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bead Chains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved construction of ornamental bead chain used primarily for personal adornment, and has for its object to provide such a chain with a series of spaced apart hollow beads connected by elongated links formed of sheet metal, the links having an enlarged, broadfaced body portion which may be of any suitable or ornamental shape and also adapted to receive ornamentation such as enamel, engraving or the like, said links being provided with heads adapted to be inclosed within the hollow beads to form a connector or link between them by which construction a bead chain may be made extremely ornamental and attractive in appearance.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a view illustarting a portion of a chain constructed of hollow beads connected by flat links of different shapes and sizes.

Figure 2 shows a strip of flat stock from which the links or connectors are constructed.

Figure 3 is a perspective View illustrating one form of flat link having a body portion with enlarged heads at either end connected to the body, each by a narrow neck.

Figure 4 is a detail showing one of the beads with an opening therein through which the neck of the link extends, the latter being shown in section.

With reference to the drawing, 10 designates a spherically-shaped bead which is formed hollow, being preferably drawn up from sheet stock, the same being provided Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb 14, 1922 Application filed March 12, 1921.

Serial No. 451,927.

with diametrically opposite holes 11 through either side thereof.

The essential feature of my invention is the provision of links or connectors 12 for joining together these beads at the same time providing ornamentation for the chain the forms or shapes of which connectors may be readily changed to produce a great variety of such ornamentation.

I preferably construct this form of link of sheet stock 13 as illustrated in Figure 2, from which stock is blanked out the links into the desired form, the connector being provided with an enlarged, broad-faced body portion 14 having heads 15 at either end connected to the body portion, each by a reduced neck 16.

The inner edge 17 of the head portion of the link is rounded ofi to approximately fit the inner surface of the bead so as to have no sharp corners engaging such inner surface as the head moves about Within the bead.

In assembling the parts these links are first stamped into the required shape and after having been suitably ornamented the chain is assembled by closing the head over the head of the link thereby providing connecting links in the chain which readily lend themselves to a great variety of shapes and ornamentation.

A chain of my improved form of links is very simple and inexpensive in construction and readily lends itself into a great variety of forms and shapes to produce chains of this character that are very hand some and attractive in appearance.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A head chain comprising in combination a series of spaced aoart hollow beads, an elongated connecting link for said beads having a T-shaped head inclosed Within the adjacent beads, the body portion of the link being connected to said head by a narrow neck and said body portion having a broad surface adapted to receive ornamentation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES P. KUEHNER. 

